Bear

Ursus arctos

✓What to do NOW

1Do not approach under any circumstances — high personal safety emergency
2Call the Carabinieri Forestali IMMEDIATELY (1515) or the Provincial Wildlife Hotline
3Back away slowly without turning your back on the animal
4Document the GPS location and photograph from a safe distance
5Alert other people in the area

✗NEVER do this

✗NEVER approach, even if it seems injured or motionless
✗Do not attempt any rescue independently
✗Do not run — it triggers predatory instinct
✗Do not place yourself between a female and her cubs — mothers are extremely aggressive
✗Do not post the location on social media in real time

⚠ Important note

The brown bear in Italy is present in the Alps (alpine population) and the central Apennines (Marsican bear, ~60 individuals). Interventions on injured bears are the exclusive responsibility of the Carabinieri Forestali, health service vets, and ISPRA. There is no protocol for independent rescue. In case of attack: protect your neck with your arms, lie face down motionless (play dead).

⚖ Legal protection

The bear is strictly protected by the Habitats Directive (Annexes II and IV) and Law 157/1992. Any disturbance, capture, or killing is a serious criminal offence. The Marsican bear is considered critically endangered at European level.

Also known as

brown bearMarsican bearbear cub

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